Remembering Dolly Parton, whose artistry and generosity touched generations

Geoff Bennett:

They are the one-name legends of American music, artists we all know and generations have loved, Aretha, Sinatra, Elvis, Prince.

And, tonight, sadly, we add another name to that legendary pantheon, Dolly.

Dolly Parton's nephew Bryan Seaver announced her passing today on social media.

Bryan Seaver, Nephew of Dolly Parton: Dolly opened doors, not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn't even know was possible. Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent.

By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history.

Geoff Bennett:

Tributes are pouring in tonight from fans, admirers, and fellow artists.

Amna Nawaz:

Reba McEntire remembered her friend, saying -- quote -- "There will, never ever be another you."

Dionne Warwick posted that she will -- quote -- "certainly miss her laughter, jokes, and her being."

Mick Jagger said -- quote -- "She brought so many people together. We will all miss her so much."

Country singer Kacey Musgraves wrote -- quote -- "The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden."

Today, President Trump ordered flags to half-staff for one week. Parton's enormous legacy spans not only music, but the world of movies and entertainment, health care, philanthropy, and education.

Here's a look at her extraordinary life.

From country music star...

Johnny Carson, Former Host, "The Tonight Show": Welcome, Ms. Dolly Parton.

(Cheering)

Amna Nawaz:

... to national treasure.

Dolly Parton, Musician:

Thank you so much.

Amna Nawaz:

Dolly Parton's seven-decade career brought her international acclaim and unadulterated adoration from fans drawn to her music, her unparalleled charisma, and her trademark wit.

Teen:

If you could tell teenagers of America today one thing, whether it be advice or something of support, what would it be?

Dolly Parton:

I would say, act like it's raining every day and wear your rubbers.

(Laughter)

(Cheering)

Amna Nawaz:

Born in 1946, the fourth of 12th children, Parton grew up in a one-room cabin in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Her father paid the doctor who delivered her the only way he could afford, with a sack of cornmeal.

Dolly Parton:

We had a roof over our head, I always say, even if it did leak. We had something to eat on our table, even if it wasn't exactly what we wanted.

Amna Nawaz:

Parton began composing songs before she could read or write, in 1959, at just 13 years old, making her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, a stage she would return to time and again.

From the early days of her career, Parton championed the rights of women and their ambitions in her music. On her second solo album, 1968's "Just Because I'm a Woman," she brought the women's liberation movement to her lyrics.

(Music)

Amna Nawaz:

Through the more than 1,000 songs Parton wrote, her message and her music resonated. She sold more than 100 million records, with 49 top 10 country albums and released more studio albums than any other female country artist. She won her first Grammy in 1979. Nine more followed, with a total of 55 nominations throughout her career.

And, in 2011, Parton received the Recording Academy's lifetime achievement award. Two of Parton's songs, "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

(Music)

Amna Nawaz:

In 1980, she made her big screen debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the hit comedy "9 to 5."

Dolly Parton:

A restaurant? How can you think of food at a time like this?

Amna Nawaz:

In a male-dominated industry, Parton was larger than life and unapologetic, speaking openly about her cosmetic surgery and navigating the industry as a woman, including with Judy Woodruff in 2020.

Dolly Parton:

Of course, I have been hit on all my life, and especially in those early days. But I knew how to manage that myself. I never sold out, never did anything that was going to take away from who I was as a human being.

Amna Nawaz:

Rivaling her cultural impact through music, her social impact through philanthropy. In the early days of the COVID pandemic, Parton's million-dollar contribution to Vanderbilt University's coronavirus research helped to develop the promising Moderna vaccine.

Parton publicly got a taste of her own medicine in 2021.

Dolly Parton:

That didn't hurt, just stung a little bit, but that was from the alcohol pad, I think.

Amna Nawaz:

Bucking the expectations of her time, Parton chose career over kids, but famously said -- quote -- "God didn't let me have children so that all kids could be mine." She helped millions through her Imagination Library, donating 200 million books to children around the world.

Child:

Dolly Parton.

Child:

Dolly Parton.

Child:

Dolly Parton sent me the books.

Amna Nawaz:

The idea, she told "News Hour" in 2013, came to her from her own father, who couldn't read or write.

Dolly Parton:

It really, really started out as a very personal thing for me, and it was originally just meant for the folks in my home county because of my dad.

Amna Nawaz:

Parton never endorsed a political party, but did speak passionately on a few issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement and LGBTQ rights.

Dolly Parton:

When someone blatantly asks you, do you think Black lives matter, well, of course, Black lives matter. We're all God's children. We all have a place in this world. We all need to be loved and respected. I don't care if you're, like I say, Black or white or whatever. I don't care if you're gay or lesbian or transgender. Everybody should have an equal chance.

Amna Nawaz:

Over her lifetime, Parton's many businesses comprised a massive empire worth an estimated $650 million. An early entrepreneur, 20-year-old Parton first established a publishing company in 1966, helping her retain her own publishing rights over the years.

In 1985, she co-founded Sandollar Productions for film and TV projects. One year later, her amusement park, Dollywood, held its grand opening just minutes from her hometown.

Dolly Parton:

But the best thing about this memory is, you can relive it.

Amna Nawaz:

Now welcoming more than three million visitors a year.

Dolly Parton:

The accountants and lawyers I had at the time thought it was a big mistake, and I said I'm doing it anyway. So, needless to say, I did not keep those lawyers and those accountants.

Amna Nawaz:

Despite her very public persona, the Queen of Country was notoriously private about her husband of 60 years, Carl Dean.

Dan Rather, News Anchor:

You know there are people to this day who do not believe your husband, Carl Dean, actually exists.

Dolly Parton:

I know that. They do. They think that I just made him up. Some say I'm having a relationship with my girlfriend Judy. We have just had a great friendship. But we have been married. My husband just does not want to be in the spotlight.

Amna Nawaz:

After Dean's death in 2025, Parton wrote -- quote -- "Like all great love stories, they never end," dedicating a new song, "If You Hadn't Been There," to the man she called the star of her life story.

(Music)

Amna Nawaz:

From small-town girl to global icon, Parton earned single-name status and a legion of devoted Dolly fans, leaving behind a catalog of incomparable hits, a legacy of generosity, and a shining example of a life well lived.

Dolly Parton:

I want to live young. I want to think young. I want to do young. I want to always be important. I want to be useful. And, as I have often said, I would much rather wear out than the rust out.

Amna Nawaz:

Dolly Parton was 80 years old.

Well, for more on her remarkable life, the PBS documentary "Dolly Parton: Here I Am" is streaming now at PBS.org and on the PBS app. It's airing again this Thursday on your local PBS station. Check your local listings.